


Letters from Andromeda

by Tarlonniel



Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Adventure, F/M, Other, Romance, Science Fiction, Sibling Bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-27
Updated: 2017-05-27
Packaged: 2018-11-04 23:58:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 39
Words: 8,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11001690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tarlonniel/pseuds/Tarlonniel
Summary: A compilation of written records kept by the Ryder twins and their families. Strict historical accuracy not guaranteed.





	1. Welcome to the Future

Kids -

Once you've read this, get yourselves out of the medbay and report to the gear lockers. There's a new planet waiting, but it's not quite as golden as we'd hoped. I'll fill you in once you're here. Hurry up.

\- Dad 

* * *

 

Nettie -

They woke me first, obviously. I'm still a bit disoriented but I'm going to try and walk it off. Did you see dad's message? Don't be late - you know what he does to people who oversleep. Was 600 years not enough for you?

\- Griff

* * *

 

Griff -

Awake now. Jerk. Identical my ass. Be there soon. Need more coffee.

\- Nettie

 

 

 


	2. Field notes - Habitat 7 - Griff

0:00 - Our shuttles are safely away, but those dark energy clouds look worrying. The pilots are trying not to get too close. Nettie insists I need a haircut - I'm cramping her style. Maybe I should just go for a color she'd hate so much she'd refuse to be seen with me. Initiative blue?

0:23 - Severe electrical storms in the upper atmosphere. This doesn't look anything like the planet from the vids. There are floating rocks - electrostatic? Everyone's confused. Still too high for a good look at the surface.

0:37 - Shuttle one reports spotting tech below. Some kind of vehicles. Possibly manned, but w-

1:43 - This is a nightmare. First contact shouldn't involve ground to air missiles and a firefight. We have no idea where shuttle one went; no one is answering their comms and we've lost SAM. Dad will take care of them, I'm sure, but still - There's no way we can get this shuttle airborne again and more of those aliens may show up any minute. We're gathering what supplies we can and heading out to find the rest of the team.

2:17 - Still looking. Scanning everything but can't do much without SAM. I think there are two different kinds of tech, one the aliens are using and the other - older? Different species? Looks like the aliens are either scavenging or researching. Or both.

2:48 - How are things still living on this planet? What happened here? What's this strange tech meant to do? Are Nettie and dad even alive? How do we get back? THIS IS NOT HOW IT WAS SUPPOSED TO GO.

3:09 - The storms are only getting worse. We thought we saw flares in the distance, so we're heading that way.

3:57 - Nettie's all right, thank God. In fact she's having a blast. These aliens have obviously never fought biotics before, which is good, but I'm starting to worry that the storms might fry our implants. They weren't exactly tested under these conditions. Dad's gone scouting. SAM's back, so I uploaded all the scans I've gotten so far. Shuttle two is in working condition but we're grounded until the storms clear. So are our alien friends, I think. Stuck here together in paradise. Just perfect.

4:14 - Setting off with a few others to a rendezvous point dad sent.

4:59 - There's a massive alien facility here. Looks like they built it around an other-tech tower which is interacting with the atmosphere - not in a good way. Dad and SAM think it might be the problem. They're working on a plan. Nettie says, "Let's just run in there and start shooting them." He may actually go with that. We really are desperate.

5:53 - The aliens are either dead or retreating. No credit to us; I think they were in pretty bad shape to start with, stuck here for who knows how long, no comms, in the middle of all this chaos. Dad and SAM are going to try shutting the tower down to cut the feedback loop. It's probably a terrible idea, but we're out of options. I hope at least one person from our team makes it back to the ark. They need to know. They need to be warned.


	3. Stop it

Griff -

Please wake up. This isn't funny anymore.

Everyone's scared. The Nexus isn't answering us. They won't let me in to see you and Lexi and Harry won't come out or answer my calls.

Dad's dead. They worked on him for almost five hours.  You know what? I'm not sorry. I hate him. I hate this entire place.

I don't want to be the only Ryder left.

Please wake up.

\- Nettie


	4. Why

Dad -

Where do I begin? Nettie refuses to talk about you; she just tenses up and glares at the wall until I change the subject. Cora is very professional - nothing more. A lot like you, which isn't surprising, since you TRAINED HER. What were you THINKING?? Did you have an attack of nepotism? Is being your daughter supposed to be all the preparation I need? Cora was next in line FOR A REASON! Everyone knows I wasn't supposed to be the pathfinder!

You should've seen the looks on their faces when we got to the Nexus. Tann, Addison, Kandros, Kesh - "disappointed" doesn't begin to describe it. "Shocked and appalled" might be better. Oh, but I can get help from the other pathfinders, right? No, because they're not here. No one knows where those arks are. No turians. No asari. No salarians. Only the humans and their pathfinder team which failed so completely at pathfinding that they're now minus their commander. Good job, us. But you know what? It all works out, because there are no golden worlds here to settle. None! Our scans lied to us. This cluster consists entirely of planets that want to kill us, natives who want to kill us and a plague of dark energy from God knows where that - surprise! - wants to kill us. What am I supposed to do with this??

Oh, wait, that's right. "Shut up and do your job." Dad's words of wisdom. Four days ago, this wasn't my job. My job was science support and throwing up barriers if we needed them. This was Cora's job. Why didn't you let Cora do her job?

Fine. You win. You never seemed to care whether we loved you or hated you and I doubt you care now. I'll shut up and do the job. If I die or make a mess of everything, Cora's still around, and I'm going to make sure she stays that way. Her and everyone else on this team you've handed me. Especially Nettie. She's all I've got left.

I've always been good at barriers.

\- Griff


	5. Team Brief - Eos

Pathfinder team -

The full brief on Eos is attached, but as you'll see, it's pretty sparse. It's our job to fix that. This is our chance to give all those people still stuck in cryo a place they can make into a home. I won't tell you to be ready for anything, because no one can be - just give it your best shot.

Forth the pioneers.

\- Pathfinder Ryder


	6. Everything hates us

Griff -

You know this is crazy, right? A poisonous dust ball? It'll bake us to death inside and out given half a chance. Yeah, I guess the kett'll never think to look for us there. No one would. Because it's crazy. Are we going to live in caves and eat rocks? I can't believe how wrong we were about this place. Scourge and kett and death planets - can't we just shove it all into the black hole and go somewhere else?

\- Nettie

* * *

Nettie -

If we can find a cave to live in and rocks to eat, that's what we'll do. At least we'll be alive. We need to buy time to study the kett and prepare defenses. The Nexus is stuck in one place; they can watch and listen, try to figure out locations and language, but we've got to do the rest. And remember, it isn't just kett out here. There are other voices. Maybe they're more friendly - at least let's hope so.

\- Griff


	7. Field notes - Eos - Griff

0:00 - There's something odd about this planet. On the one hand, it's covered in rocks and sand and sterilized by radiation. But it also has life - water - bits of what our old scans showed. We have to figure out what happened here. Suvi's scans picked up several monolithic structures in this sector - as good a place to start as any.

0:51 - This area is dotted with the same kind of tech that killed dad. SAM's analyzing as we go. The monolith up ahead isn't like the tower on Habitat 7; it's bigger, more complex. And there are three of them. The others are a fair distance away but together they seem to face inwards toward - what? Nothing shows up on our scans.

1:25 - SAM and I are going to try to activate this device. SAM doesn't think it'll kill me, but I'm having the others keep their distance. We're not sure exactly what will happen - our best guess is that it's some kind of control or processing station. Our hope is that it's related to terraforming. Time to find out.

1:43 - Not dead. Sorry, Cora. This monolith now seems to be in communication with the two others. They're definitely triangulated on something, but no indication of what yet. Activating the other two may help.

2:26 - Second monolith activated. Nothing's happened yet.

3:03 - Third monolith activated. Suvi is reading activity on an island in the middle of the lake nearby. Investigating.

3:24 - Eos is full of surprises. For once, good ones. This almost looks like Prothean-level technology. A bridge from nowhere that leads to a vault from nowhere that leads to - who knows? Incredible. What is this? What does it do? Nettie's hoping to find weapons; she has a point, but I'm expecting to find much more than that.

5:17 - There's an underground world here. Even with SAM's help, we're barely beginning to understand how it all works. Dad said he could never really describe how it felt to step through that first relay; maybe it was like this. SAM has determined that the system is in lockdown for unknown reasons. We're going to try unlocking it. Be kind to us for once, Andromeda.

7:52 - We've already noticed changes. The radiation count dropped almost immediately. Temperatures are steadily decreasing planet-wide. Bots have emerged from somewhere and are busy with repairs to the other, smaller structures. Nettie is thrilled - some of the bots have weaponry. Fortunately, they don't seem to see us as a threat; hopefully they'll be less friendly if any kett show up. We're going into low orbit to monitor things from there. I have a long report to make to Director Tann and a star chart to transmit. Or maybe it's a treasure map, with its big "X" smack in the middle of the empty part labelled "Here there be dragons."


	8. Team Brief - Following the Trail

Pathfinder team -

This time, all we have is a destination. What we'll find inside that belt of Scourge static is anyone's guess. It may be nothing, it may be a kett stronghold, it may be a golden world at last, but whatever it is, we'll be the first people from the Milky Way to lay eyes on it. Let's make history - one we can be proud of.

\- Pathfinder Ryder


	9. Feed to Pathfinder - Unknown Location

\- Griff, everyone's waiting but we're not getting a video feed. What's going on?

\- No scans. Fine. At least we can see now. Are you even reading your messages?

\- Suvi wants to know how they're speaking our language. Space magic, Suvi. Don't ruin the moment.

\- Who is THAT? I guess he's not big on personal space.

\- I don't think he likes you. Make him like you.

\- Griff, I think you almost, sort of made him laugh. That's my girl.

\- Look at those guns they've got! Don't look away, keep looking! But not too much or you'll get shot. That would be bad.

\- Cora is going crazy over the plants. Who cares about plants?

\- We need popcorn. I hope someone brought popcorn seeds to Andromeda.

\- Cora says there's no such thing as popcorn seeds.  What does she know.

\- Lexi wants a better view of their legs. For science. Sure, Lexi.

\- Resistance headquarters? Really? Wow. I guess they do like you.

\- Kallo says they're going to kill you and hide the body.

\- Vetra says that's ridiculous. They're going to display your body at the port to scare away other humans.

\- Oh, another one. Make him like you, Griff.

\- I don't think he likes you.

\- C'mon. We're weird aliens from outta nowhere. Completely trustworthy.

\- Mr. Cape is on our side! Sort of. Close enough.

\- Kallo says Mr. Cape is an assassin. He's going to kill us all and hide the bodies.

\- Kallo and Vetra are arguing about how to kill people. Don't tell our new buddy about this.

\- Kallo says they know a lot more than they're letting on. Good. It's more fun that way. Who wants to be told everything up front?

\- I think they're still thinking of just shooting you. If they do, get a good look at their guns before you die.

\- Is Jaal Ama Darav bringing any guns or knives or anything? You should ask. It's important.

\- Lexi says "It's more important to determine his nutritional and environmental needs." I dunno. Will it help us kill kett?

\- Suvi is making a huge list of questions she wants to ask. RUN AWAY JAAL AMA DARAV. SHE WANTS TO DO SCIENCE TO YOU *O&^G

\- Suvi hit me. I'm filing a complaint with Director Tann. I can't work under these conditions.

\- Summary of the angara: Kinda pretty. Kinda grumpy. Hate kett. May laugh at Griff's terrible attempts at humor. I think we can be friends!


	10. Field notes - Aya - Griff

0:00 - That seemed to go well. I tried to follow Initiative protocol as best I could at short notice. It's a shame I couldn't get any scans; they didn't even want me reaching for my omnitool. Can't say I blame them. We have a passenger on the Tempest now, which should be - interesting? Informative? A bit intimidating? We'll all have to be on our best behavior. At least he seems open-minded. More than a little brave, too. And he has a sense of humor; mom used to say that anyone who can laugh at themself can't be all bad. We'll see how this goes. Aya is beautiful. That tech really must work well when it's working right. I wonder how much the Moshae knows about all this?

0:07 - Why do I have 27 new messages from Nettie?


	11. A new path

Mother -

It seems incredible. I am sitting on an alien ship, surrounded by an alien crew. More than one kind of alien, in fact; besides the Pathfinder and several other humans, there is a turian, a salarian and an asari. They are all _fascinating_!

They seem very reserved. I can't quite decide if that is because they are suspicious of me, or afraid of me, or if it is simply their nature. Evfra told me to be cautious. I am trying, but this may be the most important thing that has happened to us in 80 years! I don't _want_ to be cautious! I want to learn and teach and make friends and help everyone understand. These are not Kett! We have a common enemy, a common goal. Common ground.

The Pathfinder is taking me to visit their first settlement and then their headquarters, which they call the Nexus. The planet they call Eos is one I can find very few records on. Our ancestors must not have considered it important. It is important _now_. Whatever I find, it should be illuminating - and exciting!

\- Jaal

* * *

Jaal -

It is still chaos here; no one knows what to think. I trust you. Examine the hearts of these aliens as best you can and do not try to hide your own, whatever Evfra says. You're not good at it. Be yourself! See how they respond!

\- Mother


	12. What I have seen

Evfra -

These aliens have done amazing things! Eos is alive! All our information, all the old scans they showed me, were of an irradiated husk of a world. Now it has rain, lakes, plants, animals - and _humans_. Small settlements now, hidden as best they can be from the prying eyes of the kett, but they have great plans. Humans are always talking about the future, it seems!

I have been inside the vault. I can't describe it, so I took many scans for the Moshae instead. If the Pathfinder can awaken these places from their slumber - do you see what it might mean for us? These people are formal and reserved, but not unfriendly. I am sure they will respond if we reach out! Excessive caution, not excessive trust, will be our downfall here. Already I fear what the Roekaar may do.

The Nexus is clean and bright and open. Accounts of the culture and history of each species are readily available; I could stay and learn from them for weeks. Their resources are slim, but they assure me our people would be welcome. I think they speak the truth. They have a great deal of experience with making strangers into allies - _allies_ , not slaves.

Let me take the Pathfinder to Havarl! I know she _can_ and _will_ help us, if only to meet the Moshae, though I think there is kindness in her too. You will see.

\- Jaal


	13. Team Brief - Havarl

Pathfinder team -

We've been invited to Havarl. Jaal will tell you how much this planet means to the angara, so let's remember to treat this like the honor it is. Be good guests in their home.

\- Pathfinder Ryder


	14. This is good, right?

Griff -

I guess they're kind of letting us into their back yard. Nice, but what are we supposed to do here, exactly? Has Jaal said anything? Whenever I try to open him up he gets a funny look and hides in the tech lab. At least he let me hold his rifle today. I can't wait to see it in action. I promised that someday I'd give him a good look at how to tear a kett apart with well-placed mass effect fields. Any kett on Havarl?

\- Nettie

* * *

Nettie -

Not that I'm aware of, but the wildlife may give us trouble. You've got a good idea there - if Jaal's going to be fighting alongside our team we should all do some training together. He needs to know what we can do and vice versa. I'll set something up.

\- Griff


	15. Field notes - Havarl - Griff

0:00 - Havarl is the most beautiful place I've seen yet, lush but cool, full of soft lights in the dusk. I love it. Jaal looks like he belongs here, somehow. Is it the colors or - There are monoliths here, but, strangely, only two. The ecosystem is imbalanced as well. Probably not a coincidence. The imbalance seems to be a relatively new thing, which means - but how do you lose an entire monolith?

0:43 - The Moshae's research team has met with an accident at the nearest monolith. We may be able to help.

1:52 - The researchers were locked in some kind of stasis field. We've released them, but they're still disoriented. Is the stasis ability unique to this monolith? Or does it only affect angara? Everything we find in this cluster raises more questions. In any case, our next priority is locating the third monolith and trying to stop this planet from going the way of Habitat 7.

2:28 - Attacked by angara. Jaal calls them Roekaar, some kind of anti-alien extremists. This is going to make things much more difficult. They seemed perfectly willing to shoot Jaal along with the rest of us; I hope we're not endangering the scientists just by being here.

3:01 - I have a hard time believing what I'm about to write. We need to talk to some sages who live on top of a Remnant mountain about the possibility of reincarnated memories of the lost monolith. It's entirely unorthodox and completely fascinating. There's a chance that the sages won't even speak with us, but we're going to try.

5:17 - Mithrava. I could stay up here for days. The history, the memories, the _view!_ These people know so much - most of it they're not willing to share with us, not yet, but they're willing to help us fix Havarl, if we can. They've pointed us to an angara named Taavos who might have ancient memories of the monolith. Unfortunately, he's joined the Roekarr. We're returning to the Tempest to plan and get some sleep.

17:11 - We're going to try yelling over a shield wall. Not the most elegant strategy, but it's the least likely to get anyone killed. If we can at least get Taavos to talk to us there might be a chance.

18:56 - Jaal is very, _very_ persuasive. Amazing. Between him, the sages and Taavos, we may have a chance. Esmus is trying to awaken the ancestral memories with various artifacts. It's peaceful up here. I wish we could stay longer.

20:12 - Taavos is leading us - somewhere. He's dazed, but coherent. I think this has all been a little too much for him; I can't even imagine what it must be like. He may have helped save his world - I hope that brings him peace, someday.

22:34 - The third monolith was buried underground, shielded from scans by all the other Remnant tech in this area. It's active now. We're heading for what looks to be the vault. Taavos is staying behind to think. I don't think he can go back to the Roekaar, even if he wanted to. He's a traitor in their eyes now.

23:57 - The vault is active. No obvious, visible changes, but the Moshae's team says they're seeing subtle, widespread effects. I'm glad. I don't know if this is enough for Evfra and the Moshae, but at least we did some good, finally. I hope I get to visit again someday; it's alien and intriguing and so, so beautiful.


	16. Leaving home

Mother -

I apologize again for not paying you a visit, but Evfra has finally agreed to a meeting between the Pathfinder and the Moshae. We are heading to Voeld. I think more may come from this trip than an exchange of information - did you know there are Remnant structures on Voeld? That may mean a vault, which may mean _oceans._ Oceans on Voeld again! To swim with the yevara - to sail beneath clear skies - to watch the accursed bases of the kett sink into the sea - such possibilities! The treasures locked in the ice, free again. Our enslaved brothers and sisters, home again.

Am I hoping for too much? Evfra's consent was reluctant; he still does not trust these aliens, or their Pathfinder, but he was always a cautious one. I am starting to think I understand them, though there are always surprises. Did you know that the Ryders are twins? And it seems they are rather young by human standards! Nettie does seem young, it's true, but not her sister. Now I have to wonder whether the difference is natural or due to their positions.

I admit, I assumed - quite wrongly, it seems - that the Pathfinder was, like Evfra, an older, experienced leader. Instead I find she is young and new in her position. Perhaps what I saw as coolness and distance was merely discomfort and uncertainty. I begin to hope that once she feels safer with me, less pressured, she will become more open. I would like to know her better. And I think, now, that she is genuinely interested in getting to know _me_ better, which is very flattering. Such a nice feeling. Dangerous, but still nice!

\- Jaal

* * *

Jaal -

A renewed Voeld! Even more unthinkable than a renewed Havarl! Surely that would begin to convince the Roekaar that their hostility is misplaced. Akksul's words will become less persuasive when people can see for themselves the good the Pathfinder is doing. I only wish you could have come home yourself to counter his voice in some of the younger ears.

Visit us soon. We are all eager to hear you tell us of your adventures in person!

\- Mother


	17. I hope you've got a brilliant idea

Griff -

I think Jaal's gone into shock. He was her student once, right? What do we do? It sounds like the Resistance has been trying to take down that base for 80 years now. Is there even a chance the Moshae is still alive? The kett wouldn't have any use for her as a slave - would they?

Never mind. I'll fight kett all day long and all night too - just get me inside. Oh, and the rest of the team too, though I won't really need 'em. That ice ball is too good for the kett. Let's take it back. What's the plan?

\- Nettie

* * *

Nettie -

I wish I had one. I really do. I don't see a way of getting through that shield other than throwing SAM at it and hoping their tech can't keep up. And once we're inside - I'm not sure. The Resistance will back us up, I think, but beyond that? Pray.

Don't go all one woman army on me.  We've lost too much to the kett already.

\- Griff


	18. A painful truth

Evfra -

How many have you told? Everyone must know, eventually, though I am not sure everyone will believe it. Aya and Havarl must be rejoicing now. The Moshae saved. Voeld emerging from the ice. A great victory over the kett. How can we tell them what those kett were - _are_? What will the Resistance do when we learn we have been killing our own? I saw it happen _with_ _my own eyes_. I can't keep it out of my dreams. So many faces that we loved, that we thought were gone, and they had only been... changed. Did they remember nothing? Did they _feel_ nothing? How much of us was left in them?

I am going to call my mother soon. She should know. There is always the hope that my father, my brother, my sister, were not turned into abominations, merely worked to death - how strange that that may now be thought a mercy!

The Moshae is recovering slowly. We will return to Aya when she is well enough to travel. She still resents that her wishes were ignored, but I can only be grateful. I did not expect the Pathfinder to listen to me. The Moshae is the one she needs, the one whose trust and respect she must earn. I am only an envoy from the Resistance - an observer - not even an official voice. But it was a voice she was willing to hear, and consider, and in the end, follow. Evfra, I could see it in her eyes - she not only understood, but shared our pain. She felt for, sacrificed for, people who were not her own. We _can_ trust her. She is a friend.

\- Jaal


	19. Things unexpected

Mother -

How are you? What have you decided? We will be on our way to Aya soon, though I am not sure what the humans hope to find there.

I am not writing to continue what we spoke of earlier. There is something else, but I can hardly put it into words. I am happy - and a little frightened - and need advice.

The Pathfinder, Gryffon, you know already how much she has done for us, the lives she saved on Voeld. The Moshae was angry with her - spoke harsh words. She was in pain, and weary, and does not know humans yet, and I am sure she did more harm than she meant to, or even realized. I went to speak with Gryffon afterwards about it and we talked for a long time. A very long time. She opened herself to me at last and I found someone I did not expect.

She told me of her past, her home, her parents - I think I understand why, until now, the sisters have never mentioned them. We sat in her room and wept together for what we both have lost. It was painful, and wonderful, and a revelation. I think she is actually fond of me.

Would it be a surprise, my mother, if I said I thought I, too, could be fond of this strange woman from so very far away?

\- Jaal

* * *

Jaal -  
  
The shock and grief are fading. I have told the other mothers, but not the children yet. We want to share in their joy before they share in our sorrow.

As for the Pathfinder - no, I am not surprised, but I do worry for you. _Try_ to be cautious, my dear, incautious one! You and this human are still very alien to each other. Ask questions. Many questions. And tell me the answers, I want to know them too!

\- Mother


	20. Help me

Dad -

The kett aren't what we thought they were. Scavengers, slavers, conquerors - we've seen those before, we know how to deal with them. This is different. They don't just take people, they take people and turn them into _them_ , stealing their minds and bodies and strength. Jaal's been fighting kett for years to avenge his family, his father, but one of those kett he's killed may have _been_ his father. It's horrifying. We used to worry that the other arks were lost or destroyed - but it could be so, so much worse. We need to find them. Even "Meridian," whatever it is, doesn't seem so important now.

And I'm worried about Nettie. What we saw inside that base did something to her. She wouldn't talk much before, not seriously, but now she won't talk about anything at all except weapons and armies and driving out the kett. Lexi's doing her best to be our team psychiatrist as well as our team doctor, but Nettie's not having it. She says she's fine. If twins could really read each others' minds, this would all be so much easier...

And then there's Jaal. Jaal is - something. Something like a friend, and a teammate, and a brother, and a - man. Am I attracted to him? Why is that question so hard to answer? I do like being around him, and I know I can't stop looking at him. Even on Aya, that first time, I couldn't stop looking. Staring. Like I was some kind of animal fascinated by his eyes and his hands and the movement of his rofjinn. Like an _idiot_. Is all the stress getting to me? Am I just lonely? Loneliness is not a good reason to hit on the new guy whose entire species you need to impress. Do I even have time for this between pathfinding and Nettie and... everything?

Dad, this job you gave me sucks. I need help. Why aren't you here?

\- Griff


	21. Team Brief - The Missing Arks

Pathfinder team -  
  
The angara are proving themselves to be valuable allies. They've shown us a shuttle from the Leusinia on Voeld, cryo pods from the Natanus on Havarl and a map on Aya - all solid clues we can follow. What Meridian is, what it can do for us, we don't know, and we likely won't know until we find it. At the moment, it's not important, because what we _do_ know is that the turians, asari and salarians are still out there, somewhere, probably in need of help.  
  
Let's bring them home.  
  
\- Pathfinder Ryder


	22. Official request thing

Griff -

You'll make this look all nice and official for Tann, right? Because I don't want to even think about that guy, much less talk to him.

All right. The angara have this place - Kadara Port. It's a port. On a planet called Kadara. Just in case Tann's an idiot, which, oh yeah, he is. Anyway, some of our people have started using it for reasons like: it's convenient, it's hidden, it's not the Nexus so they don't have to deal with Tann. Or the Nexus port authorities. Or the angaran port authorities, since they're probably idiots too. AND I was thinking that once we find the other arks, which we will, because screw the kett, there's going to be a lot MORE of our traffic going through that port, and we might want to, you know, sort of officially check the place out. See who's in charge. See if the Roekaar are planning to bomb it. Stuff like that. Maybe the Resistance can set something up with one of the locals? I know they hang around out there.

It's a good idea, right? Put me in for a raise. And get Lexi off my back.

\- Nettie


	23. Field notes - Kadara - Nettie

0:00 - Lexi got me into this, didn't she? Was this her way of telling me to get a hobby or something? Seriously?

0:07 - I hate reports. I hate writing reports, reading reports, reporting on reports, reporting on reporting on reports, bureaucracy, meddling asari, pointy rocks, cilantro

0:15 - Report on Kadara so far: D minus. I give it a few points for not being as boring as the Nexus.

0:22 - Lots of angara. Some humans. I think I saw a turian.

0:35 - They have a bar. I've upgraded Kadara to a C plus.

0:58 - People are kinda on edge. This was a small place. It's starting to get big. It's going to get bigger. Trouble's coming from somewhere. That contact better show up soon, I've got things to do.

2:02 - That was not an angara. Definitely not. I couldn't catch his last name over how hard he was flirting and I don't trust him one bit. And I don't care. It was awesome. Bring it, Reyes, let's see what you've got.

2:53 - Stuck around to hear more rumors. Roekarr. Drugs. Need water. Same stuff Reyes said. Nobody knows much about the planet - might be Remnant junk hidden somewhere. Should get some better scans on my way out.

3:36 - Leaving Kadara. Spotted what may be a monolith up in some hills. I give this place a B minus. Room for improvement.


	24. Salvation

Dad -

We found them.

The turian ark got trapped in the Scourge around what was left of their new home world. They were running silent and dark, which is why the kett didn't find them, but we almost didn't either - without tracing back the transponders in those cryo pods, we never would've known where to look. They're in rough shape, but they're turians. They'll be fine.

And the asari? They've been playing hide and seek with the kett for months. I don't know how they managed it. Even SAM had trouble finding the trail they left, twisting and diving through the Scourge like they were born to it. They sent the shuttle crew out to find help and, in a way, they did. I guess we know how the angara learned our language now. They went over the wreck of that shuttle pretty thoroughly.

Still no sign of the salarians. Poor Kallo gets more worried every day. I think Tann's worried too. We have no leads, no clues - we'll just have to keep looking.

Nettie "volunteered" to keep an eye on how things are going in the port on Kadara. She grumbles, but I think she's actually enjoying it. She's smiling more.

Dad? I think I'm getting the hang of this.

\- Griff


	25. Divided

Evfra -

I am leaving. There is something I need to do.

Every success for the Initiative seems to mean more strength and power for Akksul. His voice has reached even into the walls of my family's house and found eager listeners, then drawn the youngest and most foolish of them to his camp at the Forge. My mothers need me to go and speak with them, bring them back, but I fear they will see me as little more than a traitor. They may even try to kill me, and I do not know if I can bring myself to fight back. Not against my family. But I must go.

It has been an honor and a pleasure to fight beside you, my friend.

\- Jaal


	26. My sister the rogue agent

Griff -

I'm not gonna lie, your plan sounds a little crazy, but I'm pretty sure ALL of MY plans sound crazy, so I don't have much right to complain. Does Tann know what you're doing? Are you defying Tann? To help Jaal?

Heh. Heh heh heh. I'm gonna tell everyone about this. By the time you get back, there'll be so many rumors going around about you and Jaal that no one's ever going to believe the truth. Whatever it is.

Just don't die and spoil all my fun, okay?

\- Nettie

* * *

Nettie -

Director Tann will know everything. Afterwards. With two more Pathfinders on the job now, there's no reason I can't be spared for a few days. Maybe I'll get a reprimand, maybe he'll fire me, but I'm not letting Jaal walk in there alone. My barriers should be good enough for two.

And I'd say there's nothing going on, but honestly? I'm not so sure. When this is over... well, we'll see.

\- Griff

 


	27. The power of words

Mother -

I assume you heard Gryffon's broadcast of our confrontation with Akksul? I think nearly everyone has by now. There is justice in seeing Akksul condemned by his own words, defeated by his own arrogance, without a shot fired - except his at me. Everyone knows what he is now. A liar, a despot, a man who turns family against family, angara against angara, who would see the Forge destroyed rather than admit he might be wrong. So different from the lover of knowledge I once knew, and yet so much the same that I can't hate him, even now. We left him there, alone. I hope he can find peace. He still loves the Moshae - perhaps that will be enough to save him.

As for what Lathoul saw, that's not _hard_ to explain, exactly, only complicated. Though it isn't so much complicated as uncertain. Or confusing. I can't find a word that fits. She was worried for me, mother, very worried, and I... comforted her. That is all.

I want you to meet her. Can I bring her to our house?

\- Jaal


	28. Is it official?

Griff -

It's official, right? Tell me it's official. No one drags you off to meet his family on short notice unless he wants to make it official. Is it official?

\- Nettie

* * *

Nettie -

Yes.

\- Griff

* * *

Griff -

I can't believe it!! Really? I was right? What's it like to kiss an angara?

\- Nettie

* * *

Nettie -

Very nice. Now shut up. I'm bright red and everyone is staring.

\- Griff

 

 


	29. Field notes - Kadara 2 - Nettie

0:00 - Kadara! I have returned! Again!

0:31 - This place is PACKED now. Wow. Bar first.

1:07 - Ugh, gang wars. I knew there was going to be trouble. At least Her High Holiness is being pretty obvious about her part in all this. Better find Reyes.

1:25 - Criminals on one side, a mysterious syndicate on the other? YES. Reyes, stop flirting and give me some real intel. Then start flirting again.

2:43 - Reyes Vidal is a smarmy little loser who couldn't hack it on the Nexus, so he - and that'll teach him to read over my shoulder. What was I saying? Writing? Oh yeah - no point in getting ourselves caught up in this mess. They've gotta fight it out, see who comes out on top. Then we can work with the winner. Or maybe the loser. Either way.

3:17 - So, Reyes invited me to a party. Clearly, in order to "maintain my status as a neutral party," I should tell him to take his invitation and shove it up his lying, skulking, cheating, womanizing ass. For the record, that's what I did.

9:35 - Best. Party. Ever.


	30. Team Brief - Meridian Control

Pathfinder team -

This looks like the big one. There's going to be a lot going on over our heads, but don't get distracted. The salarian ark, the kett fleet and the Archon are all other people's problems, as far as we're concerned. We need to get in fast, keep the kett distracted and find out as much as we can about Meridian control.

If we can get it up and running, good. If we can get its defenses operational, even better. But all we really want here is as much information as we can gather before the other Pathfinders get the salarian ark away, followed by a successful evac. We can do it. Let's make this a day the kett and their Archon will remember for a long time.

\- Pathfinder Ryder


	31. Calmer now

Mother -

I am afraid I wasn't very coherent when we spoke. I will try to explain more clearly, now that I am calmer. It was a _great_ victory. The Remnant ships were very effective against the Kett fleet, though the Archon's flagship and its escort managed to escape us. Most of the salarians are safe, but those whom the kett did take - the boarding teams speak of horrors which I will not repeat.

The Initiative has already invited the Moshae to come and see for herself what was found on Meridian control. It was - how can I describe the indescribable? We thought the Forge was the heart of our civilization, but all that we thought, all that we knew, must change! We have found the source: the Jardaan. Our creators. I actually heard a recording of one speaking! So many things fall into place now, and yet, at the same time, there are so many questions! And though everything must change, somehow it feels like most things can simply go on as they were. As if it is all very important and yet not important at all.

Gryffon is recovering. Without her SAM, manipulating Remnant tech is dangerous, and the Archon was able to block communications for nearly half an hour. She raised the fleet, but it was... hard. She can tell you more, if you wish to know; humans are incredibly free with their personal medical information. I will never get used to it.

\- Jaal

* * *

Jaal -

Thank you. We are slowly coming to terms with these discoveries, as with all the others over the past several months. I will certainly be sure to ask her all about it - and about a great many other things! You know I am never squeamish.

\- Mother


	32. Field notes - Kadara 3 - Nettie

0:00 - Dramatic! Confrontation! Mountains! Shadowy figures! Can't figure out why Her Holy Uppitiness is asking ME to come along. I'm not about to save her from whatever trap/ambush/assassination thing the "Charlatan" has got set up. "Charlatan." Getting a little pretentious in the naming department, are we?

1:16 - Couldn't they have picked a spot a LITTLE closer to town? With fewer sulfur springs in the way? No shootouts in the streets, yes, good idea. Dragging me out here, no, bad idea. I hope the "Charlatan" has something super entertaining planned after all this.

2:49 - Reyes. That idiot. He really thought I didn't know? What kind of an idiot did _he_ think _I_ was? But he did the whole dramatic entrance thing really well. I guess I'll keep him. He's fun and useful and he'll never be completely honest with me, which is good, because I'll never get bored! Win-win!

5:10 - Setting up an angara as the face of his operations was a nice touch. I think things are well in hand here. Except for the water, we really should do something about that. GRIFF. I NEED YOU.

 


	33. GENIUS

Griff -

So, we've got this really nice planet here, Kadara. Or it WOULD be a really nice planet if it wasn't covered in nasty, stinky, corrosive pools of death. I have a brilliant solution! While we're waiting for the Archon to poke his-her-their-its head out of whatever hole he-she-they-it is hiding in, we turn on the monoliths I've spotted, whoosh down into the vault - that's a sound gravity wells make, right? Whoosh? - and turn the whole system back on. Then Kadara Port's water problems are solved and, hey, we'll have this really nice planet just sitting here, mostly empty, in case we've got a bunch of colonists waiting to, y'know, colonize something.

TANN! Give me a medal for my awesome contribunatorialness!

\- Nettie

* * *

Nettie -

I'll pass the request on to Director Tann. Should I add something about making you governor of the colony so you can be near your boyfriend? Maybe bribe him with the promise of an invitation to your wedding? Anything for my little sister!

\- Griff

* * *

Griff -

I will personally murder you if you do anything of the kind. And then I will resurrect you so I can spend the rest of your life embarrassing you by talking very loudly, in public, about all the things you do - or want to do - or will do someday - with Jaal which make you turn bright red when I mention them. You know the ones. Marry Reyes? He might stop lying to me! He might never look at another woman! He might find out my legal name! Oh no, the day I marry Reyes Vidal is the day the Archon hands us Heleus all wrapped up in a pretty package, topped with a bow.

Still want that medal, though. Make it happen.

\- Nettie


	34. With joy and trembling

Mother -

I have decided to bring Gryffon to Aya. I know you wanted it to be Havarl, but though she finds it beautiful, I think she would always be reminded, while we were there, of you and the rest of our family. That is not what I want - not now. Also, there is a glade on Aya - have you ever seen it? - north of the city, high in the mountains, where the water falls bright and dancing, and the flowers bloom, and the shade and the sun both welcome you. Havarl is my home, but that glade has been my favorite place from the moment I first saw it. I want it to be there, if I can reserve it for ourselves for a day or so. I am sorry to disappoint you.

\- Jaal

* * *

Jaal -

I am not disappointed! But I do expect another visit from you both, soon. I think I have almost mastered the art of pie making. I need an expert opinion to be sure.

I can find very little in the briefings on human marriage customs. Is Gryffon at all traditional about such things? Never mind - I will ask her!

\- Mother


	35. Finding my place

Dad -

I know you loved mom. Not so much because I saw it, but because she did. I know she loved you. I always wondered what that would be like. Between the biotics and having a famous - then suddenly infamous - father, I wasn't sure I'd ever meet someone who was willing to be that committed to me. Just me. Alone. Myself. And here, in an entirely new galaxy, I find myself with a man who feels very much the same way. Strange and wonderful. Can we really be each others' dreams come true? Could it be that simple, and silly, and sweet? I hope so. I want it to be. I'm going to try.

I finally feel like I'm home.

\- Griff


	36. Team Brief - Meridian Assault

Pathfinder team -

If the Archon won't come to us, we're going to _make_ the Archon come to us. The kett lost Meridian control, but they know Meridian itself is still out there; if the Archon is hoping we'll lead them there, we'll do exactly that. And all our friends will be waiting.

Let's take back Heleus.

\- Pathfinder Ryder


	37. Field notes - Meridian - Griff

0:00 - We've made landfall. The world is hollow. There's life - life everywhere. The Archon's shuttle is somewhere up ahead; we're chasing it down. I know there's a firefight raging far above, or below, or around us, but here, there's only peace. It's like a truly new world, one that was just born yesterday.

0:26 - There's something on the horizon. Something very large. It's not a monolith or a vault - it's more like the buildings on Meridian control. I think the door is open. Clearly, the Archon knows enough to get inside.

1:17 - We've encountered some guards, but not the Archon. Yet another immense space beneath the surface of a planet. Nettie calls them the Jardaan's service tunnels. She's probably right. I've been activating consoles as I go, getting the bots on our side. No idea how close we are to the enemy.

1:51 - There's some kind of central hub with connections everywhere. We can hear the power flowing through it, or from it, and also the sound of fighting in the distance. I think the bots have found the Archon. We're still trying to find our own way across. Word from the Tempest is that the flagship is down.

3:38 - It's done. For now, it's done. We're waiting for pickup. Reyes Vidal showed up out of nowhere and he and Nettie took off together. Jaal goes back and forth between swinging me around and yelling over the comm with his Resistance friends. I'm getting a little dizzy, but I love it. Everyone else is just relaxing and talking and taking in the view. We did it. Thanks, guys.


	38. Done. We're done.

Nettie -

Can you believe it? I think I'm going to retire to Havarl and buy a manta farm. If they don't have manta farms, mine will be first one. I'll raise them from little manta babies and train them to take a rider. Ryder. Get it? I may be drunk.

\- Griff

* * *

Griff -

Sounds great! I'll take ten! Put some gun mounts on those things and you'd be set. Manta pirates! Terrors of the sky!  Fear our mighty droppings! Which reminds me, the front half of that stupid Archon flagship crashed into the outside of our pretty new planet. It's an eyesore. Tell Tann to get that cleaned up. I'm sure he's not busy

What are you drinking? Save me some!

\- Nettie

* * *

 Nettie -

HA! So, then, what you're saying is, actually, the Archon finally handed us Heleus all wrapped up in a pretty package, topped with a bow?

\- Griff

* * *

 Griff -

Uh - I guess so? You're weird. Or really drunk. Or maybe all the brain damage hasn't quite healed yet. I should call Le

WHY IS REYES PROPOSING TO ME HOW DOES HE KNOW MY REAL NAME WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN TELLING HIM YOU TRAITOR????!!


	39. What can I say

Dad -

I can't believe it's been almost a year since the Hyperion dropped out of FTL. It flew by, yet I feel like I've lived ten years since then, or twenty, or a lifetime. Of course, I haven't lived a lifetime - yet - so I guess I have no way to know what that's like. I'm looking forward to finding out. How long did you and mom have together? Almost twenty-five years, right? I'm sure you didn't feel like it was enough. I wonder how much would be.

Nettie just came in and she wants to add something.

 

Yeah. I don't forgive you. But there may be the slightest, vaguest possibility that coming to Heleus was not a completely terrible idea. There. Take it or leave it.  
  
  
She's talking to you again. I can't believe it. This is an age of miracles.  
  
Thanks for everything, dad. Say "hi" to mom for us, will you?  
  
\- Knight and Gryffon


End file.
